New Delhi: The country now has a strong “protective shield” of 100 crore vaccine doses to combat the biggest pandemic in 100 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday.
India achieved a major milestone in its vaccination programme against COVID-19 as the cumulative vaccine doses administered in the country surpassed the 100-crore mark on Thursday.
Speaking via video conferencing after inaugurating the Infosys Foundation Vishram Sadan at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) on the Jhajjar Campus of New Delhi AIIMS, Modi said, “This day of October 21, 2021, has been recorded in history. India has crossed the 100 crore vaccine doses mark sometime back.”
“To combat the biggest pandemic in 100 years, the country now has a strong protective shield of 100 crore vaccine doses. This achievement belongs to India, every citizen of India,” the prime minister said.
Modi also expressed gratitude to all the vaccine manufacturing companies of the country, workers engaged in vaccine transportation and health sector professionals engaged in administering the vaccines.
On the ‘Vishram Sadan’ construction, Modi recalled that during his Independence Day speech he had talked about “sabka prayas” (everyone’s effort) and noted that be it any sector, as soon as collective power is applied, the pace of change increases.
“This 10-storey ‘Vishram Sadan’ has also been completed with the efforts of everyone in this Corona period. And it is also special that in this ‘Vishram Sadan’, both the government of the country and the corporate world have applied their collective strength,” Modi said.
While the Infosys Foundation has constructed the building of Vishram Sadan, the cost of land and electricity and water has been provided by AIIMS Jhajjar, Modi noted.
“I express my gratitude to AIIMS management and Sudha Murthy ji’s team for this service,” he said.
India’s corporate sector, private sector, and social organisations have continuously contributed in strengthening the health services of the country, the prime minister noted. He cited Ayushman Bharat – PMJAY as a great example of this.
Prime Minister Modi said when the patient gets free treatment under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, then an act of service is accomplished.
It is this service motive that has made the government take steps to reduce the prices of about 400 cancer medicines, he said.
The prime minister noted that today in AIIMS Jhajjar, patients coming for cancer treatment have got great convenience with the inauguration of ‘Vishram Sadan’ as it will reduce the worries of patients and their relatives.
The private sector will have a key role in the efforts to have at least one medical college in every district, Modi said.
The 806-bed accommodation has been constructed by the Infosys Foundation as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR).
It is aimed at providing air-conditioned accommodation to the attendants of cancer patients, who often have to stay in hospitals for a long duration, the Prime Minister’s Office had said in a statement.
Built at the cost of about Rs 93 crore, it is located in close proximity to the hospital and OPD blocks of the NCI. Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, and Infosys Foundation Chairperson Sudha Murthy attended the inauguration, conducted via video conferencing.
